Dwight Howard reveals why Brooklyn Nets didn’t sign him
Former NBA champion Dwight Howard revealed an interesting story regarding the Brooklyn Nets. With Howard currently looking for a place in the NBA, the former champion mentioned that the Nets didn't sign him as they were looking for a big man with shooting ability.
Dwight Howard has carved out a rather impressive career for himself in the NBA. With several accolades that eventually included an NBA championship, Howard could be rated as a potential first-ballot Hall of Famer.
After spending the last couple of seasons bouncing around the league, he currently finds himself without a team. As a free agent, the big man offered his services to several teams in hopes of making his return to the league. Unfortunately, this pursuit hasn't borne fruit just yet.
In a recent interview, Dwight Howard mentioned that he took a shot at joining the Brooklyn Nets as well. While the Nets turned him down, Howard revealed why they did so.
He started off by mentioning his connection to the Brooklyn Nets before his championship season with the LA Lakers. Given that at the time the Nets weren't interested in winning, Brooklyn waived Howard after acquiring him from the Charlotte Hornets.
However, prior to the 2022-23 season, Howard reached out to the Nets again. This time around, they denied him for another reason. In a conversation with Shannon Sharpe, Howard said:
"This time around, I asked to come to Brooklyn. I talked to them. They said they need a big that can shoot. And I’m like, ‘Well y’all just had a big that could shoot.’ So it’s like, I don’t know. I don’t understand it.”
Dwight Howard Talks About His Relationship with The Brooklyn Nets & What they told him Recently. Thoughts?
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Dwight Howard appeared confident in his ability to contribute to the Nets team. As a solid shot blocker and rebounder, Howard believed that he could create opportunities for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to score.
However, the Brooklyn Nets haven't necessarily seen things the same way. Opting to play Nic Claxton as the starting center, the Nets made their decision to pass up on the former NBA champion.
The Brooklyn Nets were inconsistent in their dealings with Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard mentioned that the Brooklyn Nets' reason to pass up on him was because of their need for a stretch five. While this would make sense given the current template in the NBA, the Nets haven't exactly followed through with the claim.
As mentioned earlier, the Nets currently feature Nic Claxton as their starting center. While undersized, Claxton has shown solid upside as a rim-runner, rebounder and rim protector.
However, he hasn't made a single three-pointer this season. This stands in stark contrast to their earlier statement, as claimed by Dwight Howard.
Although Howard is past his prime, he still has a lot to offer to a team such as the Nets. Considering Brooklyn's lack of a bonafide center, he could have easily filled that role as an enforcer and rim protector off the bench.
Additionally, the veteran leadership would come in handy down the stretch as Howard reinvigorated his image as a teammate in the last few years of his career.
As things stand, Howard is out of the league and the Brooklyn Nets are the 11th ranked team in the East.
Whether a mutual pairing could be beneficial is up for debate. However, the big man could certainly still be a contributing player off the bench in the NBA.